Page 5 of The Marquess's Imperfect Brid
Chapter Three
When Gareth finally joined everyone for breakfast the following morning, as was expected of him, he found everyone else already eating their meal, conversing quietly against the soundtrack of silverware scraping the fine China dishes of which his mother was so proud. The older women greeted him with stiff kisses to the air beside his cheeks, while the men gave him curt nods before returning to their conversation. Lady Cecilia, however, turned on her charm immediately.
“Gareth, good morning,” she said in a crooning drawl almost identical to the one with which her mother had greeted him the day before. “I hope you slept well after your long journey home.”
Gareth gave her a polite smile, avoiding her honeyed gaze.
“I did, thank you,” he said, struggling to find his hospitable tone. “And I trust that your accommodations are to your liking?”
His father gave him a brief nod of approval, which gave Gareth a chill. He had not forgotten what Thomas told him about Lady Cecilia, and he was acutely suspicious.
Lady Cecilia beamed at him and nodded.
“Oh, yes, Gareth,” she said, batting her lashes in the way that made his skin crawl. “My chambers are very lovely, and I am certain that there are none more comfortable in all of London.”
Gareth smiled again tensely, closing his teeth to prevent his next thought from escaping. Do you mean to say that you are well-versed in the chambers of the homes of all the noblemen in London?
His mother cleared her throat, and he glanced up, thinking that the duchess had sensed his tasteless, unspoken thought. But she was not looking at him. Rather, she was exchanging a long, knowing glance with the countess, who could hardlycontain a gleeful smile. Gareth briefly studied the women before hurriedly looking away. Whatever was being shared between them disquieted him like the approving look his father had given him. And it did not take him long to figure out why.
“It is a very lovely day,” Lady Cecilia said, very pointedly addressing Gareth. “I was thinking of going for a stroll through the gardens after breakfast.”
There was another shared look between the older women, and Gareth understood. His mother and the countess were continuing their schemes to make a match between Lady Cecilia and him. And it was clear to Gareth that Lady Cecilia believed that such a match was possible, if not a certainty, in her mind.
With every ounce of resolve, Gareth gave the young woman another small smile.
“It is a beautiful day for such an activity,” he said. “It is a shame that I cannot join you on your walk. I am afraid that I have very pressing business matters.”
Lady Cecilia and her mother’s expressions both fell, and Gareth felt a brief moment of satisfaction. He did not mind if he had disappointed them. In fact, he rather hoped that he had. The duchess, however, looked as though she was barely suppressing her anger. She narrowed her eyes at Gareth in such a way that only he could see. She raised her eyebrow, never breaking eye contact with him.
“Surely, you can postpone your business matters until after a nice walk,” she said.
Gareth shook his head, holding his own gaze steady and fighting to keep his calm, unwitting composure.
“I cannot today, Mother,” he said. “I must be ready for the business meetings that I have coming up in the next fortnight. I am afraid that I need every minute I can get to adequately prepare.”
Lady Cecilia nodded, and Gareth thought she might betrying to appear understanding. But to Gareth, she simply looked like a petulant child who had just been scolded for not being in bed by the time her parents’ dinner party started. It might have been amusing if Gareth did not now know the reason why the women seemed so set on ensuring that he spent time with Lady Cecilia. Still, he refused to let on that he knew anything was amiss. He and Thomas had always been very close, and he would feign innocence unremittingly to protect his brother and the fact that Thomas had let him in on their family’s plan to marry him off to Lady Cecilia.
“It is all right,” Lady Cecilia said at last, batting her lashes at him again, as she seemed so fond of doing. “I understand that a man’s business allows him to provide for himself and his family.” She blushed as if she had just let some telling secret slip. “That is to say, his future family. In your case, at least.”
Gareth had to hold his breath to keep from rolling his eyes. Her efforts were so blatant that they would have repelled him even if he had ever taken an interest in her. Still, he kept his calm expression as he gave her a tight smile and curt nod.
“Thank you, my lady,” he said, glancing at his mother to see her nostrils flaring as they often did when she was angry. Gareth looked away, keeping himself occupied with a copy of the newspaper throughout the rest of the meal.
When breakfast finished, Gareth could not wait to lock himself in his study. But he had not even reached the doorway before his father called to him.
“Gareth,” he said. Only Gareth and his family would have noticed the firm, no-nonsense edge as he spoke. “Before you get to your pressing business, I would have a word with you. Meet me in the parlor straightaway.”
Gareth hid a sigh by smoothing out an imaginary wrinkle in his jacket. He turned and nodded politely to his father.
“Of course, Father,” he said. “I shall meet you there.”
The duke gave a curt nod just before Gareth exited the room. He knew his father would be waiting in the parlor in about three minutes. And he intended to meet him there in four. Better to be one minute more prepared for the discussion he was sure awaited him. Even if he would never be ready to even entertain what he was sure his father was about to propose.
As expected, the duke was pouring drinks when Gareth reached the parlor. He motioned for his son to enter, handing him a glass of whiskey, which Gareth accepted gratefully. He waited for his son to be seated before speaking.
“I summoned you here because I feel the need to reiterate the importance of you handling your duties,” he said. “You have done well enough as the marquess of Hayewood. However, as you know, your responsibilities will increase when you become duke. As will the importance of those duties.”
Gareth nodded slowly, hiding his wariness by sipping his drink.
